Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro celebrates with teammates Cedi Osman and Donovan Mitchell, excellent, proper just after developing the game winning shot against the Brooklyn Nets all through the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in New York. The Cleveland Cavaliers won 115 – 109. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
NEW YORK (AP) — Isaac Okoro hit a 3-pointer from the corner with .7 seconds remaining and completed with 11 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Brooklyn 116-114 Thursday evening and closed in on their initial playoff berth due to the truth 2018 with a two-game sweep of the Nets.
“It was a lot of anxiety location into the shot, of course,” Okoro talked about. “You usually genuinely really feel amazing with a game-winner. For me, it was my initial 1.”
Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 26 points and 16 rebounds and Jarrett Allen completed with 12 points and ten rebounds against his former group. Cleveland, which beat Brooklyn 115-109 on Tuesday, won for the eighth time in ten games and lowered its magic quantity to clinch 1 of the Eastern Conference’s main playoff spots to two.
“It was ugly at situations,” Mitchell talked about. “There’s just so a lot going on (in the playoff race), and at the finish of the day all we can do is deal with what we can deal with and winning these games alternatively of praying that other teams shed or win, we just gotta go out there and do what we do, and it is amazing to have a win like this tonight.”
Mikal Bridges scored 32 points, Spencer Dinwiddie had 25 points and 12 assists and Joe Harris hit five 3-pointers and completed with 15 points as the Nets lost their fifth straight game.
“It’s frustrating,” Bridges talked about. “Obviously, we’ve got to retain the energy and morale larger, but it is devastating losing like that.”
Cleveland trailed 112-104 with two:13 left prior to closing the game on a 12-two run, with the help of three important Nets turnovers. Trailing by 1, Mitchell missed a second no expense throw that would’ve tied the game, then he missed a location-back, and three distinctive Nets had their hands on the ball for the potential rebound prior to it bounded to Cleveland guard Caris LeVert.
“I believed we did a amazing job of acquiring some stops to location ourselves in that position,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff talked about. “You miss the no expense throw, we had various possibilities at it, but guys didn’t quit on the play, and we speak about winning 50-50 balls and winning the scrap.”
LeVert, who spent his initial four seasons with Brooklyn, found Okoro in the corner, and he drained the 3-pointer to give Cleveland the lead.
“The ball goes out to Caris, and I’m just operating to the corner and going to my spot, and Caris trusted me,” Okoro talked about. “Once it left my hand, I knew it was going in.”
Bickerstaff talked about Okoro had no be concerned of taking the main shot.
“But I really feel what was most crucial is Caris saw that he was open and got him the ball, and that speaks to this group,” Bickerstaff talked about.
A heave from half court by Bridges at the buzzer fell swift.
Bridges secured his eighth 30-plus point game as a member of the Nets by implies of three quarters with 14 points in the third quarter. Then Harris heated up with four fourth-quarter 3-pointers in a sub-five-minute span, assisting Brooklyn construct a ten-point advantage.
“I felt like we deserved to win that game because we did a lot of amazing aspects all by way of the course of the evening,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn talked about. “This is an opportunity for us to find out who we are.”
The Cavaliers rank initial in the NBA in points-against per game and defensive rating, but had no answer for the Nets offense, which shot 56% in the initial half. Dinwiddie had 19 points, which involves 11 in the second quarter, and seven assists, assisting Brooklyn take a 61-60 lead into the break.
Mitchell and Bridges every single single scored in double figures in the initial quarter, seeming to trade baskets in the early going. Mitchell scored 12 in the initial, which involves nine in the initial two:17. Bridges had ten, assisting the Nets construct a 33-31 lead proper just after 1.
TIP-INS
Cleveland: Mitchell is 35 points from ten,000 for his profession. … With two designed 3-pointers Thursday, Garland is now four away from tying Wesley Unique particular person for eighth spot on the Cavaliers’ all-time list. … Guard Raul Neto (left-hamstring tightness) missed his second straight game.
Brooklyn: Bridges is averaging 25.eight points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Nets due to the truth joining them by way of trade Feb. 11. Ben Simmons (left-knee/back soreness) missed his 14th consecutive game. Vaughn talked about pregame Simmons has been operating individually and “not with teammates.”
UP Subsequent
Cavaliers: Host the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
Nets: At Miami Heat on Saturday.
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